Feeding tube recommendation

[Nikki J]

I am listening to the MNDA symposium. Professor McDermott ( Sheffield UK) just commented that the best time to get a feeding tube is if 5 % of weight in lost. He said waiting until 10% made it much harder/ less likely to regain weight. I thought this was an interesting guide though there are obviously other considerations that may not always correlate like breathing, fatigue and choking but I strongly agree with his main point that feeding tubes are often inserted too late.

 

[KevinM]

Situational context, as you described, is important. I have no bulbar issues, eating chewing, and swallowing is not an issue. But despite eating a calorie and protein rich diet, I have gradually lost close to 5% of my ideal body weight over the past 2+ years from loss of muscle mass. I’m holding steady with weight for now, but I can never again gain weight in the atrophied areas of my upper chest and shoulders.

 

[Nikki J]

Of course you also have a gi comorbidity if I remember correctly. A subset of PALS are also hypermetabolic independent of respiratory status so there are lots of considerations but the classic not swallowing great/ tiring quickly when eating people would do well to start thinking / talking when their weight drops that 5 %.

 

[affected]

I'm also thinking that this 5% drop of weight is not referring to losing that over 2+ years, but over a much shorter amount of time eg. over just a few months. That is a great point about context!